Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Graveley

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1943 at 0127 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7923
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
Graveley AFB (Huntingdon)
Huntingdonshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 1847LT on February 3 on an operation to Hamburg. It was hit by the German Flak which damaged the undercarriage mechanism. On return to base, the airplane crash landed wheels retracted. All seven crew members escaped uninjured while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
F/O J. C. Thomas, pilot,
Sgt D. C. Young,
P/O G. H. F. Carter,
Sgt R. Martin,
Sgt E. R. R. Terraine,
Sgt J. H. Barry,
P/O J. W. Freeman, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Badly shot about by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7886
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 1703LT on an operation to Berlin. Radio contacts were recorded at 2030LT and 2102LT then the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the North Sea off the Danish coast. Four crew members were killed and three others were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Ian Morgan Rutherford Brownlie, pilot,
F/Sgt Frederick Donald McColl, navigator, †
F/Sgt Jack Kenneth Corke,
Sgt Albert Mark Taylor,
P/O Frederick Arthur Brybrook, wireless operator, †
P/O William Austin McMullan, air gunner, †
P/O Lawrence Rockliffe Adcock, air gunner. †

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Colerne

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1942 at 0150 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT488
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
Colerne AFB
Wiltshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 1812LT on November 18 on an operation to Torino. While over the Alps, a fire started in the bomb bay and the order to bail out was given. The pilot prepared to make his exit when the flames died away. Returning to the cockpit, he managed to fly the airplane home to a crash landing at 0150LT at RAF Colerne. The pilot was uninjured and all six other crew members parachuted to safety and became PoW.
Crew:
W/Cdr B. V. Robinson, pilot,
F/Sgt Thomas Musselbrook Bruce,
F/Sgt Edwin Francis Butler,
F/Sgt Nathaniel McClure Halliday,
F/Lt Joseph Gilbert Middlemass,
Sgt Francis Edward Solway,
F/Sgt William Potter, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Marquillies: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1942 at 2230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W1047
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
Marquillies
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 1909LT on an operation to Aachen. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Marquillies, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
S/L J. G. Kerry, pilot,
Sgt W. Chester,
P/O H. Johnson,
Sgt W. Gorman,
Sgt P. R. Parsons,
P/O R. Carrington,
F/Sgt W. T. Palmer.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1942 at 2336 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1219
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 1902LT on a mine laying operation. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea off Friesland, Netherlands. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Leslie Arthur Seamark, pilot,
Sgt Richard Lind, navigator,
Sgt Alfred Trewin, wireless operator,
Sgt Nial Thurlow Byrne, air gunner,
Sgt William John Godly, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Blesme: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1942 at 0107 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7657
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
Blesme
Marne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 2001LT on September 19 on an operation to Saarbrücken. Over France, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Blesme. Three crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
W/Cdr J. H. Marks, †
F/Sgt W. G. Higgs,
F/Lt A. J. Child, †
F/Lt N. H. Wright,
P/O R. J. L. Sawyers,
P/O R. L. Leith-Hay-Clark. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Montcornet: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1942 at 0246 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7700
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
Montcornet
Aisne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 2032LT on August 28 on an operation to Nuremberg. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Montcornet, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Frederick John Taylor, pilot,
Sgt Graham Francis Bush, flight engineer,
F/O Albert Cook, observer,
Sgt Garfield James Phillips, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Max Feindel Robbins, wireless operator,
Sgt Herbert Sydney McCartney, air gunner,
F/Sgt Patrick William Tucker-Feltham, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Koewacht: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1942 at 2330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7676
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
Koewacht
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 2047LT on an operation to Nuremberg. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Koewacht, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt David Alan Vaughan John, pilot,
Sgt Maurice William Booth, flight engineer,
P/O Alan Fay Birley, observer,
P/O Kenneth Albert Higgs, bomb aimer,
Sgt Arthur Edward Grounsell, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Priestley, wireless operator,
Sgt Gerald Anthony Doman, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Saint-Hilaire-au-Temple: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1942 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7765
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
Saint-Hilaire-au-Temple
Marne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Graveley 2042LT on August 24 on an operation to Frankfurt. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Saint-Hilaire-au-Temple. Two crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Frank Edward Gardiner, pilot, †
F/Sgt William Patrick Ryan, wireless operator, †
Sgt F. E. Albert Makin,
Sgt Palmer Maynard Nerland,
P/O Jean Baptiste Roger Joseph Camille Teillet,
Sgt F. W. Graham,
Sgt Edward Lawrence Whillock.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1942 at 0008 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W1226
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
Sønderborg
Syddanmark
Country:
Denmark
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 2043LT on August 18 on an operation to Flensburg. Approaching the Danish coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Sønderborg. All seven crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt John Walter Smith, pilot,
Sgt William Basil Cooper, flight engineer,
Sgt Cyril Samuel Crutchley, navigator,
Sgt Ralph Graham Humphreys, bomb aimer,
Sgt George Arthur Brassey, wireless operator,
Sgt Ronald Francis Wall, air gunner,
W/O Arthur John Owen Leo, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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